Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 To: stBedes@list.via-caritas.org From: "gardener" Subject: Hot Cross Buns Is there some rule about when you can eat them, like you can only eat them on Wednesdays? Or is that a carryover from my childhood, when we had Wednesday night services during Lent in our Lutheran church, and the big attraction for me was of course the hot cross buns served afterward. I'm going to make some and bring them to the list meet, that's why they're in my mind. And THEN I wondered if I'd be breaking some Lenten Hot Cross Bun Prohibition if we met on Saturday and ATE hot cross buns. In anticipation, Nancy ------------------------------ From: Hazel Peterson > the big attraction for me was of course the hot cross buns Sounds like you were a typical kid with a sweet tooth! VBG When I was a kid in England Hot Cross Buns were Good Friday/Easter food. Our local baker only made them at that time, though others made them throughout Lent. Tradition says that they were one of the things Christianity 'stole' from the pagans. The cross is an old symbol. In this case placed on a round bun, it appears much like a Celtic cross, which in turn is similar to the Hindu kiakra which represents the union of male and female. They may be descendants of the cakes offered to Artemis and Hecate by the Greeks. The Greek cakes honoured the four seasons of the moon. I seem to recall that the Romans also had similar buns long before Christianity. > I wondered if I'd be breaking some Lenten Hot Cross Bun Prohibition My Nana always claimed that it was unlucky to eat Hot Cross Buns before Good Friday. (This sounds a bit like the admonition by long ago housewives that bread hot from the oven was indigestible - too delicious probably, and therefore too much would get eaten!). She also said that Hot Cross Buns used to be considered 'magical, or holy', and one kept in the house would ward off ill luck. I'd say "Enjoy them when they are available". Hazel - tempted to make some a bit earlier than usual. ------------------------------ From: Simon Kershaw gardener wrote: > Is there some rule about when you can eat them Good Friday only. -- Simon Kershaw ------------------------------ From: gardener Simon wrote: > Good Friday only. Oh, dear. What else can I make for our listmeet? Is there other traditional lenten fare, other than bread and water? I could bring a gallon of fish-tasting Boston Metropolitan District Commission water for all to enjoy; that would certainly be penitential! --Nancy ------------------------------ From: Eileen Subject: Re: Hot Cross Buns I have never heard of any ban on eating Hot Cross buns. My mother was from England and we ate them all the time. Peace - Love Eileen ------------------------------ From: Hazel Hi Eileen - I suspect that consumption of Hot Cross Buns varies widely depending on area, family viewpoints, parish traditions etc. I seem to recall hearing that one of the major supermarkets in Britain started making Hot Cross Buns for their Jewish customers a few years ago - they had a star of David on them I think. Hazel ------------------------------ From: Roger Stokes Eileen, Simon gave what I also regard as the traditional answer. Those who mark the solemnity of Good Friday in what they eat will have hot cross buns with coffee in the morning and then nothing more to eat until they have fish pie when they get back from church after 3 o'clock. Back in the days of more restricted shop opening hours the only shops open on Good Friday were bakers, who were open until lunch-time as Simon said and this is when hot cross buns were available. Since then season-related foodstuffs have become available much more of the year with hot cross buns being available from January, followed swiftly by Cadbury's Creme Eggs (which I find revolting) and the rest of the Easter Egg collection. Chances of restoring the link between the foods and their seasons? - None :-( Peace, Roger, Bedford, UK ------------------------------ From: Simon Kershaw Roger Stokes wrote: > Simon gave what I also regard as the traditional answer. That pretty much describes my own Good Friday eating -- hot cross buns, then fish pie in the evening! > Back in the days of more restricted shop opening hours the only shops open > on Good Friday were bakers, who were open until lunch-time as Simon said > and this is when hot cross buns were available. Since then season-related According to Elizabeth David, in her authoritative _English Bread and Yeast Cookery_, it was in Elizabethan England illegal to sell spiced buns except on Good Friday (and for funerals). I presume this was because spiced buns were more expensive and the bakers would have liked to sell more spiced buns and less ordinary, cheaper, bread. I also presume that even in the 16th century it was the custom to eat these buns on Good Friday, since otherwise the statute is unlikely to have made an exception for that day. > Chances of restoring the link between the foods and their seasons? - None :-( Quite so. -- Simon Kershaw ------------------------------ From: gardener On 15 Feb 2002, at 9:18, Roger Stokes wrote: > Chances of restoring the link between the foods and their seasons? - None :-( And I say, well, I am not going to fool around with this! Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday only! I like traditions, at least those that don't stand on the backs of people's necks. For our listmeet, I'll bake some plain bread instead. --Nancy ------------------------------ From: BANFUR3 Good Morning Friends: What I should have stated is, we ate them all the time during Lent. However, she made buns with currents during the rest of the year but they were not Hot Cross Buns. Sorry. Peace - Love and a good day to all Eileen ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 From: Christopher Hart Subject: Hot Cross Buns Apropos of the recent discussion on this list, the answer to the final question on the TV game show, Jeopardy, broadcast on 2/19/2002 was: Hot Cross Buns Having read all of your posts diligently, I got the answer immediately from the clues given. Christopher S. Hart ------------------------------ From: "Don Twentyman" If "Hot Cross Buns" was the answer, the correct question must have been: "What do you call tired, angry rabbits?" ------------------------------ From: "B. D. Colt" But on Jeopardy, the answer is always the wrong answer; The question is, "What is the question? Barbara D. Colt ------------------------------ From: chart OK, I messed this up! I should have written that "What are Hot Cross Buns?" was the correct question for Final Jeopardy. The answer/clue had to do with being sold on Good Friday, etc. Mea culpa, mea culpa. Apologies to all Jeopardy fans. Christopher S. Hart ------------------------------ From: "P. Dan Brittain" A lot of talk about this food item and no recipe yet. Dan Brittain Berryville, Arkansas ------------------------------ From: "Edith" > A lot of talk about this food item and no recipe yet. See recipe: Hot Cross Buns I make about 12 dozen of these every year for the Easter breakfast between services at my church. ------------------------------ From: BANFUR3 eaburk writes: << Hot Cross Buns Dear Edith: Thank you for the recipe. Peace - Love Eileen ------------------------------ From: John nz chart@voicenet.com wrote: Hot cross buns are a means for large bakery chains to make a killing in the period between Christmas and Easter. (And these days for several weeks beyond). John * # * nz ------------------------------ From: "Gaynor McCartney" John wrote:- > Hot cross buns are a means for large bakery chains to make a killing Not to mention that they are yummy too! Gaynor ------------------------------ From: Rod/Hazel Peterson John nz wrote: > Hot cross buns are a means for large bakery chains to make a killing Oh dear - another example of Hazel not being 'typical. I make Hot Cross Buns and Good Friday - and rarely are there any left for later consumption! Hazel ------------------------------ From: John nz > I make Hot Cross Buns and Good Friday And I'm way across the ocean. Shame! John * # * nz